A Public and Commercial Services spokesman said: “The tape idea illustrates the madness of the Lean project.”

It comes after the scheme saw staff in Scotland asked whether bananas on their desks were “active” or “inactive”. If they were not for immediate consumption, they had to be cleared away.

A customs spokesman told the BBC: “The markers on desks are used to demonstrate that it is much better to work in a tidy work environment where everything has its place. Staff involved have confirmed they prefer the tidier workspace.”